Locking device



Sept. 3, 1963 G. J. FRIEDMAN 3,102,411

LOCKING DEVICE Filed May 25. 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. GEORGE J. FRIEDMAN BY ?M lww ATTORNEY Sept. 3, 1963 G. J. FRIEDMAN LOCKING DEVICE Filed May 23. 1961 2 Sheeis-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. GEORGE J- FRIEDMAN W EM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,102,411 LUCKING DEVICE George J. Friedman, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Iris Friedman, New York, N .Y. Filed May 23, 1961, Ser. No. 112,021 2 Claims. (Cl. 7tl1(lt)) This invention relates to locking devices and in particular to locking devices employed to prevent relative movement between a plurality of adjacently arranged sliding doors.

It has been the practice to lock sliding doors from relative movement by providing an elongated U-shaped clip that is adapted to engage about an edge of the rear of one of the doors and to be inserted into a key actuated lock element which is engaged with suitable teeth preformed on the clip. When so engaged, the key actuated lock element becomes fixed to the rear door and protrudes into the path of the leading edge of the next adjacent forward door. Because the lock element protrudes into the path of the leading edge of the forward door, it prevents the doors from sliding relative to each other. In order to permit the doors to be moved relative to each other toward open positions, it is necessary to remove the lock element from its engagement with the clip by completely disassembling the clip and lock element from each other. Often this results in the loss of the lock element and, in addition, the locking structure provided by the lock element and clip is easily broken and, therefore, not applicable where burglarproof locks are required.

An object of the present invention is to provide a locking device that may be permanently mounted on a sliding door for movement with the same as an integral part thereof and for operation to lock the door from sliding movement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking device, the details of which are so arranged as to prevent access to its locking portions, thereby rendering the same burglar-proof in construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking device wherein the same engagesthe sides of the door and positions the locking mechanism thereof beyond the edge of the door for engagement with a keeper structure that may be locked on a facing surface of the next ad jacent door or other similarly positioned surface.

A novel feature of the invention resides in details of construction wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking element that is adapted to move beyond a side of the door on which the same is mounted into engagement with a keeper located on a face of an adjacent surface, the keeper and locking element having a unique arrangement of structural details by which the lock mechanism can be unlocked only after the locking element is operated in a predetermined manner. i

Still another object of the invention is to provide a looking device that may be quickly and easily installed for operation on any sliding door without the need for expensive tools or special mechanical aptitudes. In this connection, a (feature of this invention resides in its simplicity of structural details, its ability to be manufactured inexpensively and installed quickly with a minimum of. effort. Significantly, the details of structure fastening the locking device to the door are normally hidden from access for accidental or purposeful removal without resulting in complete multilation of the door to which the same is fastened.

Other and further objects of this invention reside in the structures and arrangements hereinafter more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of the locking device 3,162,41 1 Patented Sept. 3, 1963 22, mounted on a pair of relatively slidable doors in accordance with the teaching of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a section of FIG. 1 taken along lines 22 and showing an intermediate condition of the locking mechanism between its locked and unlocked positions,

FIG. 3 is a section of FIG. 2 taken along lines 33 and illustrating the locking mechanism in its locked position,

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the unlocked position of the locking mechanism,

FIG. 5 is a cross section of FIG. 2 taken along lines FIG. 6 is a section of FIG. 2 taken along lines 6-6,

FIG. 7 is a section of FIG. 2 taken along lines 77,

FIG. 8 is a section of FIG. 2 taken along lines 88,

FIG. 9 is an exploded View of the locking device, and

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the locking device shown in FIG. 9 in a completely overturn-ed position of Referring now to the drawings, the locking device is generally identified by the numeral 10 and is shown in FIG. 1 fastened to the forward one of a pair of sliding doors l2 and 114. The details of the sliding doors 12 and 14 and the manner by which the same are permitted to move relative to each other. form'no part of the invention. To enable a clear explanation of the invention, FIG. 1 illustrates the doors supported at their upper ends by roller bearing members 16 adapted to ride in a track '18.

The locking device 10 comprises a housing member generally identified by the numeral 20 that includes a body 22. The body 22 is provided with an interior circular chamber 24 of equal diameter throughout its lengthand opens at the front wall 26 of the housing member 20. The rear wall 28 of the housing member 20 is provided with a substantially circular opening 30 of less diameter than that of the chamber 24 and includes a keyshaped, offset passageway 32 as part of the configuration thereof.

Each of the sides .26 land 23 of the housing member 20 extend laterally beyond the confines of the body 22 and form a pair of elongated mounting arms 3-4 and 36 respectively. The arm 34 forms an integral continuation of the front wall 26 while the arm 36 forms a continuation of the rear wall 28. The space between the front and rear mounting arms 34 and 36 is substantially equal to the thickness of the :forward door 12 on which the housing member 20 is to be mounted. In order to permit a secure engagement with the opposite sides or surfaces of the door 12 when the \arms 34 and 36 are moved into position alongside the same, there is provided a plurality of laterally extending tapered teeth 38 formed along the inner surfaces of the arms. The rear mounting arm 36 is provided with an access hole 40 aligned with :a taped hole 42 that terminates blindly in a protruding boss 44 formed integrally on the front mounting arm 34.

The body 2 2 of the housing member 20 has a substantially flat interior face 46 that is adapted to face the mounting edge 48 of the door 12 in spaced relationship therewith as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 for a purpose which will become obvious as the description proceeds. The face 46 is provided with a slotted, through opening 5t), that extends for a portion of the length thereof and completely through the wall of the interior face 46 into communication with the interior chamber 24.

Housed within the housing member 20 is a locking mechanism generally identified by the numeral 52. The locking mechanism 52 comprises a barrel member 54, the outer surface of which is completely circular and is adapted to fit smoothly in the chamber 24 and slidingly move along the length thereof. The barrel. 54 is, however, pinned at 56 to the body 22. The pin 56 has \an enlarged head that is adapted to ride along the fiat interior face 46 while the narrowed body of the pin moves along the length of the slotted opening 50. The pin 56 maybe conveniently engaged in a threaded or tapped hole 58 provided in the barrel '54 as shown in FIG. 10.

Thus, the barrel is secured from relative rotative movement to the body 22 while housed therewithin for relative lengthwise movement. The interior of the barrel member 54 is hollow for substantially the dull length thereof terminating short of its rear wall 60- where the substantially circular interior shape terminates in a narrower diameter opening 62. The circular interior wall 64 of the barrel member 5 4 is enlarged lat diametrically opposite portions to form lengthwise extending keyways 66 land 68 (FIGS. 8 and 9).

Included in the locking mechanism 52 is a key actuated lock 70 that has a circular surface 72 adapted to be received within the interior of the barrel.54 for guided rotation along the curved surfaces of the circular interior Wall 64 thereof. The whole of the key actuated lock 70 fits within the barrel 54 with its enlarged head 74 being seated against the recessed ends 76 of the circular interior wall 64. The narrowed protruding end 78 of the key actuated lock 70 is adapted to project through the narrow diameter opening '62 at the rear wall 60 of the barrel 54 \and has a spline or key 80.

A plurality of locking pins 82 are provided on diametrically opposite sides of the key actuated lock 70 and are normally extended to project beyond the confines of the circular surface 72 and into engaging relationship with the diametrically disposed locking keyways 66 and 63 in the interior of the barrel 54. However, when a key 84 is inserted into the keyway -86 (FIG. 9), the locking pins 82 are Withdrawn into the confines of the circular surface 72 and out of locking engagement with the keywlays 66 and 68, thus permitting the lock 70 to be rotated within the barrel 54. i The narrowed projecting end 78 of the leey actuated lock 7 is adapted to be engaged within a congnlously shaped interior hole provided in a latching or locking element 88 that also forms a part of the locking mechanism 52.

The latching or locking element 88 is provided with an aperture 90 that is shaped to 'congruously receive the spline or key '80 of the lock member 70. The latch element S8 is additionally joined and secured to the narrowed end 78 of the key actuated lock 70 by any convenient or conventional means as a pin that may be passed through aligned holes 92 provided in both the latching or locking element 88 and the narrowed end 78. When so joined, the locking element is caused to rotate with the key actuated lock 70. The front end 94 of the latching or locking element 88 sits against the rear wall 60 of the barrel 4 radially within the circular confines of la horse-shoe shaped lost-motion limiting abutment 96.

Rotatable between the spaced ends of the limiting abutment 96 of the barrel '54- is a limiting finger 98 formed integral with the locking element 88. The rotative engagement of the limiting linger 98 with the spaced ends of the abutment 96 will permit predetermined limited rotation of the locking element 88 and in like manner the key actuated lock 70. In actual practice, the ends of the abutment '96 are spaced to permit approximately 90 of rotation of the locking element 88 relative to the body 22 of the housing member With the key actuated lock 70 assembled within the barrel member '54 land the locking element 8 8 secured on the narrowed end 78 as described, the locking mechanism 52 is inserted into the chamber 24 of the housing member 20 after a spring or other yieldalble element 100 is first positioned therein.

The spring 1100 encompasses the horse-shoe shaped abutment 96 and constantly operates between the wall of the opening and the wall 60 of the barrel 54 to urge the locking mechanism 52 out of the chamber 24 into the position shown in FIG. 4. However, the barrel 54 of the locking mechanism 52 is non-rotatably retained within the chamber 24 because of the engagement of the pin 4 56 passing through the slotted opening 50. The length of the slot 50, therefore, limits the extent to which the locking mechanism 52 and the barrel 54 will move outward beyond the front side of the housing member 20.

The rear end of the locking element 88- has a narrowed circular-shaped neck 102 that terminates in a laterally extending head 104. The head 104- is substantially rectangularly shaped and elongated in length. A protrusion 106 is provided on the widened portion of the body of the locking element 88 and, like the head 104, is shaped to be accommodated in and for movement through the passageway 32 of the circular opening 30 provided in the rear wall 28 of the housing member 20. The radial extent of the protrusion 106 is subtantially the same as the offset and elongated extent of the locking head 104-. Both the locking head 104 and the protrusion 106 have a greater radial extent than the opening 30 through which the same are adapted to move in a manner to be described. Both the head 104 and the protrusion 106 are in longitudinal alignment with each other.

In operation, a keeper plate 108 is mounted on the face of a surface that is adjacent to the rear surface of the door 12. Thus, in practice, the keeper plate 108 is adapted to be mounted, as by the screws 110, on the outer face of the rear one of the adjacent sliding doors 14-. The keeper plate 108 is provided with a smoothly curved surface 112 that coincides with the outer curved configuration of the body 22. The length of the plate 108 from the highest point of curvature 112 to its opposite end 114 may be such as to permit the plate 108 to be mounted on the door 14 whereby its end 114 fits in alignment with the edge of the door 14. This alignment will properly position a rectangularly shaped opening 116, provided in the keeper plate 108, in lengthwise alignment with-the locking head 104 of the locking element 88 to permit the movement of the same therethrough as shown in FIG. 2.

A portion of the door 14 may be removed as at 1 18, behindt-he lock receiving opening 116, to accommodate the head 104 therein when the same moves completely through and beyond the slightly larger opening 116. Because the keeper plate opening 116 is rectangularly shaped and slightly larger than the locking head 104, it is adapted to receive the rectangularly shaped locking head therein and for movement completely therethrough. However, when the locking head 104 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, and it is caused to be rotated, its enlarged surface will then move into the dash line position shown in FIG. 5 to be positioned behind the surface of the keeper plate, as shown in FIG. 3, and thereby prevented from removal there-from. The narrowed neck 102 of the locking element 88 will, however, remain within the confines of the keeper plate opening 116 and thus the doors 12 and 14 will be locked from relative sliding movement.

In practice, the locking device 10 is assembled in the manner described above. The front and rear mounting arms 34 and 36 are slid over and along their respective surfaces of the outer sliding door 12 with the teeth 38 gripping tightly into the opposite sides of the door. The slight space left between the mounting edge 48 of the door and the flat interior surface 46 (FIGS. 3 and 4) permits the pin 56 to move lengthwise along the slot 50 provided in the body 22. A hole is then drilled through the door 12 in alignment'with the access hole 40 provided in the rear mounting arm 36, after which a fastening bolt 120 is inserted through the access hole 40, the drilled hole in the door 12, and into the threaded engagement with the blind hole 42 of the boss 44. With the housing member 20' so fastened to the door 12, the head of the bolt 120 is normally hidden from access unless the doors '12 and 14 are moved to expose the same. At the same time, the latching mechanism 52 is housed beyond the edge of the door 12 for movement substantially parallel thereto.

The keeper plate 103 is then applied to the face of the adjacent surface of the back door 14 in the manner described, with the keeper opening 116 in alignment with the head 104- of the locking mechanism 52. With the parts so assembled, it will be recognized that it is impossible for one to remove either the housing member 2h or the keeper plate 108 from their respective doors when the doors are locked together in the manner shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 without complete mutilation of the door edges.

The operation of the locking mechanism should be obvious to those skilled in the art. With the latch mechanism 52 in its latched position as shown in FIG. 3, the key 84 may be inserted in the keyway 86 to withdraw the locking pins 32 from engagement with the engaging keyways 66 and 6%; of the barrel 54. After the withdrawal of the pins 82 from locking engagement with the keyways 66 and 68 and into the confines of the circular surface 72, the key may be rotated. As the key 84 is rotated, the lock '71 rotates, as does the locking element 88 to align the elongated shape of the locking head 1% vertically with the elongated opening 116 of the keeperplate 168 as shown in FIG. 2.

As the head MM is being so aligned, the protrusion 1th;

6 the keyway 32 and into surface engagement with the rear wall 28 of the housing member 29 thereby opposing the withdrawal force of the spring 100 until the key is again rotated to its unlocked position. Thereafter, if the key 84 is withdrawn from the keyway 8d, the locking pins immediately protrude outward in radial locking engagement with their diametrically disposed keyways 66 and 68 of the non-rotative barrel 54 to prevent further rotaof the locking element 88 is also being moved out of engagement with the rear wall 2% to become aligned with the similarly shaped passageway 32 of the opening 30. When the protrusion 1% and head TM are aligned with the passageway 32, as in FIG. 2, the spring 1% immediately applies its removing force to the barrel 54. The barrel automatically moves rearward and beyond the front wall 26 of the housing member 22, the locking element 88 is withdrawn well into the confines of the chamber 24 and fully out of the engagement with the keeper plate 108,

thereby permitting the doors 12 and 14 to be moved relative to each other.

in order to lock the doors from relative movement, it is merely necessary to press the key 84 rearward into the chamber 24 and against the opposing force of the spring 100. This causes the head 16M and protrusion 106 of the locking element 88 to move through and beyond the opening 30 and keyway 32. The head 194 then moves into and through the confines of the opening 116 in the keeper plate 1%. Thereafter, rotation of the key 84 is limited by the space between the ends of the horse-shoe shaped abutment 96 and the engagement therewith by the limiting finger 98 on the locking element 88. However, the limited rotative movement causes the head 104 to be moved behind and out of alignment With the keeper plate opening 116 to be locked therebehind. At the same time, the protrusion 1%, provided on the locking element 88, is also moved out of alignment with tion.

tion of the locking element 1%.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the inven- It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a door locking device, a housing fixed to the edge of a door and having a chamber extending beyond and in a direction substantially parallel to the door edge, a barrel mounted for non-rotatable but lengthwise movement in said chamber between locked and unlocked positions, latch means movable with said barrel between said locked and unlocked positions to and from an extended position beyond a side of said door, lock means rotatable in said barrel and connected with said latch means to rotate the same, said latch means and barrel each having means to limit their relative rotation and the rotation of said lock means, and spring means normally moving said barrel lengthwise in said chamber to its unlocked position.

2. In a door locking device as in claim 1, a keeper on a surface of a second door facing in the direction of the adjacent surface of the other door, an elongated opening defined in said keeper positioned on said second door beyond the edge of said other door, arms on said housing positioned on the opposite surfaces of said other door to mount said latch means for movement into and out of locking engagement with said elongated opening of said keeper, and fastening means positioned between said doors fastening said arms to said other door.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 452,776 Doty May 26, 1891 1,147,604 Bubenheim July 20, 1915 1,907,625 Vogt May 9, 1933 

1. IN A DOOR LOCKING DEVICE, A HOUSING FIXED TO THE EDGE OF A DOOR AND HAVING A CHAMBER EXTENDING BEYOND AND IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE DOOR EDGE, A BARREL MOUNTED FOR NON-ROTATABLE BUT LENGTHWISE MOVEMENT IN SAID CHAMBER BETWEEN LOCKED AND UNLOCKED POSITIONS, LATCH MEANS MOVABLE WITH SAID BARREL BETWEEN SAID LOCKED AND UNLOCKED POSITIONS TO AND FROM AN EXTENDED POSITION BEYOND A SIDE OF SAID DOOR, LOCK MEANS ROTATABLE IN SAID BARREL AND CONNECTED WITH SAID LATCH MEANS TO ROTATE THE SAME, SAID LATCH MEANS AND BARREL EACH HAVING MEANS TO LIMIT THEIR RELATIVE ROTATION AND THE ROTATION OF SAID LOCK MEANS, AND SPRING MEANS NORMALLY MOVING SAID BARREL LENGTHWISE IN SAID CHAMBER TO ITS UNLOCKED POSITION. 